Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1522 - 6.1. Recognition of encoded-words in message headers

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### 6.1. Recognition of encoded-words in message headers

A mail reader must parse the message and body part headers according to the rules in RFC 822 to correctly recognize encoded-words.

Encoded-words are to be recognized as follows:

1. Any message or body part header field defined as "*text", or any user-defined header field, should be parsed as follows: Beginning at the start of the field-body and immediately following each occurrence of linear-white-space, each sequence of up to 75 printable characters (not containing any linear-white-space) should be examined to see if it is an encoded-word according to the syntax rules in section 2. Any other sequence of printable characters should be treated as ordinary ASCII text.

2. Any header field not defined as "*text" should be parsed according to the syntax rules for that header field. However, any "word" that appears within a "phrase" should be treated as an encoded-word if it meets the syntax rules in section 2. Otherwise it should be treated as an ordinary "word".

3. Within a "comment", any sequence of up to 75 printable characters (not containing linear-white-space), that meets the syntax rules in section 2, should be treated as an encoded-word. Otherwise it should be treated as normal comment text.

Next: 6.2. Display of encoded-words

Connected: An Internet Encyclopedia
RFC 1522 - 6.1. Recognition of encoded-words in message headers